From escalating trade wars to a full-scale offensive against immigrants, the first months of Trump’s second term have seen horror after horror. But there are also signs of resistance.
In April, millions marched at thousands of “Hands Off” demonstrations that took place across the US. One of the main organising groups, 50501, claims that 5.2 million people took part in more than 1300 protests on 5 April. Another day of action on 19 April was smaller, but over 800 actions still took place. Protesters across the US rallied again on May Day.
The resistance to Trump had initially been more muted in the second term so the massive turnout at these rallies should be celebrated. But the rallies are not without their issues.
The “Hands Off” rallies have rightly taken up Trump’s attacks on immigrants and workers but the inclusion of official “Hands off NATO” placards and not “Hands off Gaza” signs show that the socialist left needs to intervene and challenge the politics of the organisers within this newly mobilised movement.
At the same time, Democrat politicians Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are holding sizeable rallies as part of a nationwide “Fight Oligarchy” tour. This included the largest ever rally of Sanders’ career, attracting 34,000 people in Denver, Colorado. He addressed an even larger crowd at the Coachella music festival.
The mainstream Democratic Party is in disarray, symbolised by the decision of its Senate leader Chuck Schumer and nine others to surrender and vote for Trump’s spending bill in March.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez criticise the leaders of the Democratic Party but offer no convincing alternative. The rallies have had a narrow focus on economic issues and an electoral outlook, with protesters waving Palestinian flags removed.
In an interview in March, Sanders praised Trump’s border crackdown, telling the ABC that, “Nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate.”
The hundreds of thousands taking to the streets need to be won to a vision of movement building and working-class resistance, not to another electoral campaign. Stronger socialist organisation that can build and shape the resistance is desperately needed.
By Angus Dermody
